May 3, 2005
SPORTS
Top NCAA talent featured at Mesa Classic
MCC’s annual Mesa Classic was held Friday, April 15, featuring NCAA Division I talent along with the participating ACCAC familiar faces. Mesa showcased their talent against top flight competition from schools such as the University of Florida, Colorado State University, and the University of New Mexico.
The men’s high jump team highlighted the events as three MCC jumpers had NCAA national qualifying times. Nic Adamson jumped 6-foot-8-inches, taking second in the high jump event as Quinn Barfield tied for fourth jumping 6-foot-4-inches, and Zach McKendrick tied for seventh posting a 6-foot-2-inch mark.
Mesa’s talented throwers, Michelle Amete and Shawn Best, also qualified at the NCAA level (as opposed to NJCAA qualifying mark).
Weight throwing Coach Selmer Olson said Best had his best day ever. “Shawn did great,” said Olson. “He threw for his best ever personal record in both events and showed potential to throw even further. He’s coming around at just the right time.”
Amete qualified in the hammer throwing event by tossing the hammer 56.99 meters, which was good for third place at this talent rich event. Amete placed behind an American record holder (Erin Gilreath, unattached) and NCAA record holder (Candice Scott, University of Florida) in the Hammer throwing event. Both are Olympians.
In her first year of eligibility, Amete holds the American Junior College record in the hammer throw, throwing 186.11 feet, as a Hungarian holds the International JC record of 194.11 feet.
Best, who qualified at the NCAA level in the shot-put and discus events, threw 17.95 meters in the shot-put and 52.08 meters in the discus.
Head coach Steve Jacobs said he was pleased with how the men’s and women’s 4-by-400 relay teams performed. Becky Brown, Erica Judd, Shaina Frost, and Courtney Schooley, comprised the women’s team as they placed second with an NJCAA qualifying time of 3:57.56. Kyle Johnson, David Morrow, Shannon Waynewood, and Rodney Burnes, made up the men’s relay quartet who finished second posting a time of 3:15.89 seconds.
Volume
42, Issue 14. Today is
